Air-glide chair base with air-return system



June 7, 1966 H. u. DEELEY, JR. ETAL 3,254,733

AIR-GLIDE CHAIR BASE WITH AIR-RETURN SYSTEM Filed Nov. 13, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 ATTORNEY NM w w l W X w wl llllllll IITIIIIIIIIIIIJ i TJJ 7 A P June 7, 1966 H. u. DEELEY, JR. ETAL AIR-GLIDE CHAIR BASE WITH AIR-RETURN SYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 15, 1963 June 7, 1966 H. u. DEELEY, JR.. ETAL 3,254,733

AIR-GLIDE CHAIR BASE WITH AIR-RETURN SYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 13, 1963 INVENTOIQS.

a Y am M f 5 R n w pf. I N f- MG United States Patent 3,254,733 AIR-GLIDE CHAIR BASE WITH AIR-RETURN SYSTEM Haskin U. Deeley, Jr., Baltimore, Md., and George H. Strain, Hellam, Pa., assignors to The Dentists Supply Company of New York, York, Pa., a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 13, 1963, Ser. No. 323,284 8 Claims. (Cl. 1807) This invention relates to improvements in a mobile chair construction of the type suitable for use by dentists, barbers, beauticians and by any other profession as, for example, opthamologists and Opticians, where it is desirable to move the patient or patron from one location to another and as described and illustrated in the co-pending application of Haskin U. Deeley, Jr. et al., Serial No. 275,594, filed April 25, 1963.

In the mobile chair of said co-pending application air pressure is utilized to produce a film of air between the bottom of the base of the chair and the floor supporting surface, whereby the chair base as well as any chair 'seat connected thereto may be moved through the application of limited manual force, applied in a horizontal direction against the chair seat or base, to effect desirable rotation or linear movement of the chair and base relative to the floor surface. In the operation and movement of such mobile chair the air-glide sustaining air is discharged outwardly from below the periphery of the chair base across the floor surface to the ambient atmosphere, giving rise particularly in a dental or medical office to possible considerations of asepsis.

Briefly, the present invention comprises an air-glide base for supporting a chair, bed, table or other object wherein the discharge air-glide sustaining air is immediately received and conveyed to the intake of the air compressor which produces the air-glide sustaining air, thereby providing for recirculation of the air and producing a relatively quiescent condition in the ambient atmosphere and maximum possibility of maintaining asepsis in the operatory area, or the like. 1

Accordingly, it is the principal object of this invention to provide for a direct and immediate recirculation or return of the discharge air-glide sustaining air to a fan or air compressor located within the base of the chair or other mobile object in order to elfect a more aseptic condition in the ambient atmosphere.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shroud around the chair base spaced outwardly from the perimeter of the air-discharge base structure and in communication with the intake end of the fan or air compressor to draw in the discharged air-glide sustaining air, whereby the air is recirculated.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a shroud having a particular shape which equalizes more or less evenly the suction around the entire perimeter of the shroud by providing that the least volume or cross-sectional area defined by the shroud is the most remote from the fan or air compressor intake end and gradually increases in volume or cross-sectional area toward said intake end.

A further object of the invention is to provide the shroud with an external configuration of streamlined shape as it encircles the chair base in order to add to the aesthetic appeal of the base design.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision in the shroud of an adjustable air inlet for ambient air, preferably adjacent the fan or air compressor intake and, in order to provide an adequate supply of air, should there be some leakage or escape of the air-glide air to the ambient atmosphere and even though some of the ambient air may be drawn into the shroud.

3,254,733 Patented June 7, 1966 Another object of the invention concerns itself with the provision of an anti-friction guide means that is carried by the lowermost free edge portion of the shroud which, when the chair base is mobile on its air-glide film, will engage the floor surface to prevent canting of the chair base and consequent drag of the chair base bottom relative to the floor surface.

An additional object of the invention relates to the provision of a replaceable filter at the intake end of the fan or air compressor.

Details of the foregoing objects and of the invention, as well as the other objects thereof, are set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprising a part thereof.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a chair base provided with a shroud and an exemplary chair seat and back supported by said base.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, on a larger scale than in FIG. 1, of the chair base and showing in dotted lines certain of the operating mechanisms included in the base.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the chair base taken on line 3.3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the chair base shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, said view being on the same scale as used in FIG. 3.

FIG." 5 is a vertical sectional view showing a fragmentary portion of the peripheral structure of the chair base and associated shroud otherwise shown in sectional view on a smaller scale in FIG. 3, the arrangement shown in FIG. 5 illustrating in exemplary manner the inflated condition of air discharge and seal means associated with the bottom .ofthe 'chair base.

FIG. 6 is a detail sectional view of the screw mechanism for raising or lowering the chair seat relative to the chair base.

FIGS. 7 and 8 respectively are fragmentary vertical elevations and vertical sectional views of the air inlet and pressure operating mechanism in the chair base.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS, 1 and 2, the mobile chair base 10 comprising the present invention is in the form of a casting which is preferably formed of metal or other suitable material and is somewhat bell-shaped to provide ample space for the housing of power-driven mechanisms of several different types enclosed therein. For the purposes of the instant invention, there is-shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2 a squirrel fan 12 driven by an electric motor 14 for applying air for the air-glide as will be hereinafter described.

A speed reducing gear assembly 16 is driven by a reversibleelectric motor 18 by suitable means such as a belt drive 20 and shaft 21. The speed reducing gear assembly 16 rota-tably suports a sleeve 22, which fixedly carries a ball nut 24 that threadedly receives a screw shaft 26. The screw shaft 26 extends axially upward through the base 10 and is fixedly secured to a header 28. Mounted and secured on the header 28 is a chair seat 33 of any desired type or design. A pair of guide rods 30 connected at their upper ends to the header 28 extend through vertical bearings 31 in base 10 and thus serve to stabilize vertical movement of header 28. Thus, motor 18 and its driving connections to header 28 serve as effective means to raise and lower the chair seat with respect to the base. One of the guide rods 30 carries a detent 29 for operating movement-limiting switches 32 which serve to cut off the motor 18 whenever the header reaches the upper or lower limit of its travel, thereby preventing damage to the driving mechanism.

For a description of the details of the construction and operation of the aforementioned power-driven mechanisms, reference may be had to the co-pending application 3 of Haskin U. Deeley, Jr. et al., Serial No. 275,594, filed April 25, 1963.

The bell-shaped casting that constitutes the chair base is provided at its lower end with an outwardly extending peripheral flange 34, and the bottom surface of the base, at least in certain areas thereof, is engageable with a relatively fiat and horizontal supporting surface such as a floor 36.

Within the chair base 10 and the fan 12 or other airpressure generating means is mounted between spaced walls to provide an annular chamber 38 adjacent the wall of the chair base which serves in the capacity of a plenum chamber, and which, at the lower end thereof communicates with an annular distribution chamber 40, the upper wall of which is formed by the peripheral flange 34. Extending downward from said flange are substantially concentric annular walls 42 and 44, the lower surfaces of which preferably lie in the same horizontal plane. Integrally joined with the annular wall 42 is a rigid horizontal partition or plate 46 that extends transversely across the lower portion of the chair base 10 and which supports the gear assembly 16. Extending across the bottom surfaces of annular walls 42 and 44 and suitably secured thereto is an annular plate 48, said plate completing the annular distribution chamber 40, which, essentially, comprises a manifold. Discharge from said manifold chamber is effected evenly, in a circumferential direction and adjacent the periphery of chair base 10, by means of a series of air discharge ports or openings 50 provided in the annular plate 48.

An air discharge and sealing member 52, see FIGS 3 and 5, formed of a flexible, porous sheet material, is inherently fiat, annular in shape and of a width greater than the width of the annular plate 48. The outer edge portion of the sealing member 52 is tucked inwardly around a clamping ring 54 and secured by screws 56 to the underside of annular plate 48 and to the wall 44. Secured to the underside of clamping ring 54 is a ring pad 58 of a felt-like material that functions to prevent damage to the sealing member 52, and also to enhance the sealing properties thereof with respect to a floor surface. The inner edge portion of the sealing member 52 is secured by a clamping ring 60 and screws 62 to the inner portion of annular plate 48 and to partition 46. The principal function of sealing member 52 is to distribute air evenly, within a relatively confined annular space directly beneath member 52 and between said member and the floor surface 36. By discharging said air adjacent the periphery of the chair base 10, maximum efliciency results due to the utilization of a maximum lever arm in elevating the base slightly above the floor surface so as to permit ready gliding of the base over the floor surface upon the film of air discharged evenly and uniformly through the porous discharge and sealing member 52.

Referring to FIG. 3, it will be seen that the chair base 10 is seated directly on the floor through the medium of the ring pad 58, there being no discharge of air in the position shown from the annular distribution chamber 40. However, referring to FIG. 5, it will be seen that the discharge of air through openings 50 from the annular distribution chamber 40, as indicated by arrows has elevated the chair base 10 slightly above the floor surface and the air which is immediately discharged through the porous sealing member 52 has created the air-glide sustaining film, referred to above, desired to effect the gliding movement of the chair base.

In the chair base construction of the co-pending application referred to above, the air of the air-glide sustaining film passes radially outwardly from beneath the sealing member 52 into the ambient atmosphere substantially at floor level. In the present construction, the discharged air of the air-glide sustaining film is immediately drawn into a shroud and recirculated back to the intake end of the fan 12 to provide an aseptic condition in the ambient atmosphere.

To this end there is integrally or otherwise formed on the -bell-shaped casting making up the chair base 10, air conducting means comprising a shroud 64 that completely encircles the base 10, see FIGS. 1 and 4. The shroud structure is formed of a top wall 66 and an outer depending wall or skirt 68 which cooperate with flange 34 to define said air conducting means. The top wall 66 is joined along its inside periphery to the wall of the chair base 10 and winds in a somewhat spiral manner symmetrically on each side of a vertical, medial plane extending fore and aft of the chair base, upwards from close to the peripheral flange 34 at point R, see FIG. 4, at the rear of the chair base towards point P at the front thereof. Said top wall 66 is of greatest width at its lowermost point and gradually narrows, in plan view, being of least width at its uppermost point where it merges into the flat top 7 0 of the chair base as shown in FIG. 4. From FIG. 4, it also will be seen that the shroud 64 is symmetrical along diameter F-R, and from FIG. 1, it will be seen that the shroud has a streamlined appearance adding to the aesthetic appeal of the design.

, The shroud skirt 68 preferably has a slight radial outward slope and its lower peripheral edge is spaced from the floor surface in a horizontal plane substantially in the plane of the ring pad 58 and in concentric relation to the annular wall 44 of the peripheral flange 34. Due to the narrowing width of the shroud by wall 66 from bottom to top, the skirt 68 is formed at its lower end with a stepped flange portion 72 in order to provide that the lower peripheral edge portion 74 of the skirt be circular and thus in concentric spaced relation to the annular wall 44.

In function, the lower peripheral edge portion 74 of the skirt serves as a guide flange. To enhance the guiding function of the skirt edge portion 74, with respect to the floor surface, the entire periphery preferably is covered with a molded annular rim or bead 76 formed from :a suitable synthetic resin having self-lubricating properties so as to provide substantially no friction; several commercial varieties of such suitable resin are available under the trade names Teflon, Delrin, Nylatron, and Nylon. When sealing member 52 is inflated to float the chair base 10 upon the air-glide sustaining film, as described, the rim 76 is spaced slightly above the floor surface 36, as shown in exemplary manner in FIG. 5, but if slight canting or tilting of the chair base 10 occurs, the rim 76 will engage the floor surface and prevent the periphery of the base from impedin g lateral movement of the base.

As previously described, the air discharged from the air-glide sustaining film is immediately drawn into the shroud 64, see arrow S, FIG. 5, and is recirculated back to the intake end of the fan 12. .The shroud 64, at its narrowest forward portion, communicates with an air return port 78 which carries the returned air to the intake end of fan 12. The particular shape of the shroud 64 is such that the least volume or cross-sectional area defined by the shroud is the most remote from the intake end of the fan 12 and is located at the rear of the chair base 10, at point R, as clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, whereas the volume of the shroud gradually increases toward the fan inlet. By virtue of this construction, the graduated volume of the shroud from the rear of the shroud to the inlet end of the fan at the front of the shroud will compensate for the distance from the inlet end of the fan to effect an equalization of the suction substantially evenly around the entire periphery of the shroud.

It is appreciated that in the operation of the mobile chair base there will be some leakage or escape of discharged air-glide sustaining air into the ambient atmosphere and that not all discharge air will be drawn up into the shroud, just as there also will probably be some ambient air drawn into the shroud. In any event, the primary object of the structure comprising the invention is to recirculate as much of the discharged air as possible so as to increase the aseptic nature of the room in which the chair base is located.

In accordance with the principles of the invention, there also is provided at the front of the shroud and opposite the inlet end of the fan 12 an adjustable air inlet for ambient air. The specific illustration is exemplary only and comprises a plate 80 which is provided with a plurality of openings 82 and is pivotally connected centrally to shroud so as to be adjusted rotatably from fully open to fully closed with respect to a complementary arrangement of openings 84 in the adjacent wall of shroud 10 directly behind plate 80, .all in a well known manner. The plate 80 is maintained in desired adjusted position relative to openings 84 by suitable means such as one or more arcuate slots 87 in the perimeter of said plate within which locking screws 86 are disposed for threaded engagement with shroud 10.

A preferably replaceable filter 88 of any suitable type is provided for placement over the air inlet end of the fan 12 and within air return port 78 to insure clean air being delivered to fan 12 for discharge to air distribution chamber 40. Access to the filter 88 may be had by any suitable means such as through removal of the adjustable air inlet plate 80.

While the invention has been described and illustrated in its preferred embodiment, it should be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the precise details herein illustrated and described since the same may be carried out in other ways falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

We claim: a

1. Mobile supporting means movable relative to a horizontal surface comprising:

(a) a base structure,

(b) a pair of laterally arranged inner and outer juxtaposed conduits fixedly carried by said base structure and completely surrounding the same at its bottom portion,

(c) said inner conduit having a bottom plate in opposed relation to said horizontal surface, there being downwardly directed openings in said bottom plate,

(d) said outer conduit having for its entire extent a substantially continuous bottom opening in opposed relation to said horizontal surface,

(e) the openings of both conduits lying substantially in the plane of the bottom surface of said base structure and closely adjacent to said horizontal surface,

(f) means including an air inlet within said base structure for supplying pressurized air to said inner conduit,

(g) said outer conduit being in direct communication with said air inlet,

whereby pressurized air flowing through said inner conduit will be discharged through the openings in said bottom plate for reaction against said horizontal surface to form a film of sustaining air upon which said base structure may glide and substantially all of the air exhausted laterally outwardly from the outermost perimeter of said inner conduit will be drawn into said outer conduit through its bottom opening to be delivered to said air inlet for recirculation.

2. The mobile supporting means of claim 1 wherein:

(a) said inner conduit is defined in part by a wall flange fixedly connected to the lower portion of said base structure,

(b) said outer conduit being defined in part by said wall flange and in part by an outer wall with said outer wall being fixedly connected to the bottom portion of said base structure in vertical spaced relation to said wall flange, and

(c) the outer perimeter of both said wal'l'flange and outer -wall lying substantially in the same horizontal plane.

3. The mobile supporting means of claim 1 including:

(a) a continuous ring pad secured to the outer perimeter of said inner conduit for seating engagement on said horizontal surface and constituting the sole contact of said base structure thereon when stationary in the absence of the pressurized air film, and

(b) a flexible porous sealing member underlying both the bottom plate of said inner conduit and the pad part in direct contact with said horizontal surface at all times; whereby said sealing member during the discharge of pressurized air from the openings in said bottom plate will flex as the base structure is elevated with relation thereto and to the horizontal surface to uniformly diifuse the pressurized air laterally outwardly from the flexed inner and outer side edge portions thereof, the pressurized diffused air flowing later-ally from the inner side edge portion providing one part of the film of sustaining air between the bottom of the base structure and the horizontal surface, the pressurized .air interiorly of the sealing member providing the remaining part of the film of sustaining air and the pressurized diffused air flowing laterally outwardly from the outer side edge portion constituting the exhaust air which is drawn into the opening of the outer conduit for passage to the air inlet to be re-circulated.

4. The mobile supporting means of claim 1 including:

(a) a continuous ring pad secured to the outer perimeter of said inner conduit for seating engagement on said horizontal surface and constituting the sole contact of said base structure thereon when stationary in the absence of the pressurized air film, and

(b) an antifriction guide rim secured to the outer conduit in laterally outwardly spaced relation to said cushion pad and closely adjacent to said horizontal surface to provide a slight clearance therebetween when said base structure is level with respect thereto in its air glide movement thereon, such that on a slight tilting of said base structure said antifriction rim will in part engage said horizontal surface to slide thereon.

5. The mobile supporting means of claim 4 wherein:

(a) said antifriction guide rim comprises a self-lubricating non-metallic rim member.

6. Mobile supporting means for a chair seat, comprising in combination:

(a) a chair base having a bottom normally in supported engagement with a floor surface and a lower peripheral edge, a substantially bell-shaped housing supported on said base,

(b) a post-like member extending upwardly from the central portion of said housing and vertically movable with respect thereto, means at the top of said post-like member for supporting a chair seat,

(c) an inverted channel formed at and surrounding the lower peripheral edge of said base and defining an air distribution chamber of substantially uniform width, said chamber having a bottom plate mounted in opposed relation to said floor surface, there being a series of downwardly directed discharge ports in said bottom plate,

((1) a shroud on said base alongside of and outboard of said air distribution chamber and defining an inverted channel of substantially uniform width opening toward said floor surface, and

(e) means on said base for supplying air under pressure to said air distribution chamber and .for creating a suction in said shroud, the pressurized air being discharged evenly through said air discharge ports so as to maintain a film of sustaining air bet-ween the base bottom and said floor surface and the suction in said shroud drawing in the discharged air and delivering it for recirculation to said means for supplying air under pressure.

7. A mobile chair construction movable relative to a floor surface, comprising in combination:

(a) .a chair base comprising a horizontal base plate having a peripheral edge and a hollow housing having a wall extending upwardly from the edge of said base plate,

(b) a vertical shaft supported centrally within said housing and extending above said housing, means at the top of said shaft for mounting a chair seat,

(c) an outwardly extending peripheral flange secured to and surrounding the lower portion of said housing wall and defining therewith an inverted air distribution chamber having an opening of uniform width in opposed relation to the floor surface, a horizontal peripheral plate mounted across said opening and being provided with a series of downwardly directed discharge ports substantial-1y in the plane of said base plate,

(d) a shroud secured to said housing exterior of and surrounding said peripheral flange and having a depending skirt terminating in a guide rim lying close to said floor surface, said shroud defining an inverted air return channel outboard of and juxtaposed to said air distribution chamber and opening towards said floor surface,

(e) spaced walls adjacent to and within said housing wall forming a plenum chamber including an air inlet, said plenum chamber being in communication with said air distribution chamber, a fan in said plenum chamber for supplying air under pressure to :said air distribution chamber, the pressurized air being discharged evenly through said air discharge ports so as to maintain a film of sustaining air between the chair base and said floor surface, and,

(f) an air return port connecting said air return channel with the air inlet of said fan, the suction in said shroud drawing in substantially all the discharged air and delivering it for recirculation to said fan, thus effecting a relatively quiescent condition in the ambient atmosphere.

8. A mobile chair base comprising:

(a) a substantially bell-shaped housing having a bottom for normal seating engagement with a floor surface,

(b) a shroud including a top wall and a depending skirt,

(c) said top wall being fixedly secured along its inner edge to said housing and extending laterally outwardly thereof, said top wall having a symmetrical substantially spiral rise on each side of a substantially vertical medial plane extending from front to rear of said chair base and being of gradually decreasing width from the rear of said chair base to the front thereof,

(d) :said skirt depending from the outer edge of said top wall and terminating in a downwardly directed flange the lowermost edge of which lies substantially in the plane of said housing bottom and in spaced concentric relation thereto to define an air inlet open- I (e) said shroud and said housing wall defining an air conducting passageway of graduated volume that is of least volume at the rear of said chair base where said top wall starts its symmetrical spiral rise and gradually increases in volume towards the front of said chair base,

(f) port means joining said air conducting passageway of the shroud at the zone of its maximum volume to the interior of said housing, and

(g) the lowerest edge portion of said skirt flange being provided with a self-lubricating non-metallic rim.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,052,483 9/1962 P terson 1807 3,089,685 5/1963 Hennemann et al. -418 3,117,646 1/1964 Cockerell et al. 7 3,161,247 12/1964 Mackie 1807 3,164,911 1/1965 Vaughen 1807 FOREIGN PATENTS 111,617 4/1962 Pakistan.

BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner.

M. S. SALES, Assistant Examiner. 

1. MOBILE SUPPORTING MEANS MOVABLE RELATIVE TO A HORIZONTAL SURFACE COMPRISING: (A) BASE STRUCTURE, (B) A PAIR OF LATERALLY ARRANGED INNER AND OUTER JUXTAPOSED CONDUITS FIXEDLY CARRIED BY SAID BASE STRUCTURE AND COMPLETELY SURROUNDING THE SAME AT ITS BOTTOM PORTION, (C) SAID INNER CONDUIT HAVING A BOTTOM PLATE IN OPPOSED RELATION TO SAID HORIZONAL SURFACE, THERE BEING DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED OPENINGS IN SAID BOTTOM PLATE, (D) SAID OUTER CONDUIT HAVING FOR ITS ENTIRE EXTEND A SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUS BOTTOM OPENING IN OPPOSED RELATION TO SAID HORIZONTAL SURFACE, (E) THE OPENINGS OF BOTH CONDUITS LYING SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE PLANE OF THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF SAID BASE STRUCTURE AND CLOSELY ADJACENT TO SAID HORIZONTAL SURFACE, (F) MEANS INCLUDING AN AIR INLET WITHIN SAID BASE STRUCTURE FOR SUPPLYING PRESSURIZED AIR TO SAID INNER CONDUIT, (G) SAID OTER CONDIIT BEING IN DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH SAID AIR INLET, WHEREBY PRESSURIZED AIR FLOWING THROUGH SAID INNER CONDUIT WILL BE DISCHARGING THROUGH THE OPENINGS IN SAID BOTTOM PLATE FOR REACTION AGAINST SAID HORIZONTAL SURFACE TO FORM A FILM OF SUSTAINING AIR UPON WHICH SAID BASE STRUCTURE MAY GLIDE AND SUBSTANTIALL ALL OF THE AIR EXHAUST LATERALLY OUTWARDLY FROM THE OUTERMOST PERIMETER OF SAID INNER CONDUIT WILL BE DRAWN INTO SAID OUTER CONDUIT THROUGH ITS BOTTOM OPENING TO BE DELIVERED TO SAID AIR INLET FOR RECIRCULATION. 